I was searching the posts here and was reading that brewers yeast should be given for niacin deficency. I have two baby mallards that dont want to stand up as much as they once did.They even eat sitting down now. One doesnt seem to be eating as much today as he usually does.If this sounds, like a niacin def. can anyone tell me how much brewers yeast to give? Is it the same kind that you can get from the grocery store?They are around 5-7 weeks old and eat layer crumbles, and i rotate between romaine lettuce and spinach in thier water...Also, I would like to know if there are certain things that i cannot feed them. I wanted to give them some leftover canned corn from dinner a couple of days ago but was afraid to.Thanks for any advice!

first, do not give juvenile ducks layer feed! I was told by a reputable avian vet that it can cause liver damage to feed extra calcium before they are of laying age...so try to get some 16% protien pellets or crumble, just a maintanence or grower, not layer or breeder. too much protien can be bad too, so at their age you do not need 20% protien. you can get the higher protien but then cut it with some quaker oats. Go to a health food store and look for a glass jar with a red lable made by twinlab... "genuine brewers yeast" it is a powder and it can be sprinkled on top of food...no measurement per se, just sprinkle it on as a light coating. I am doing that now for my 3 week old duckling who was getting a bit shakey in the legs. Be sure not to let food spoil or get moldy, that can kill your ducks quick. get rid of the old and offer fresh food in the morning and before bed so it doean't cause problems. clean fresh water should always be available...and lastly buy some chick sized grit so the ducklings can grind their food in the crop...otherwise they can't digest correctly. corn is fine but just as a treat, not the sole food ration. go outside for the best greens this time of year and pick some tender grasses and dandelion greens, chop them up---it will save you $$ buying spinach etc.

I raise my ducklings on Gamebird Starter, then switch to Flight Conditioner later. If you can't find Gamebird, some place will order you Duck/Goose starter. If you can't get that, get NON-Medicated chick starter. You can either use the brewers yeast sprinkled over the food, or get Niacin pills and dissolve in their water.

Definitely use chopped grasses.

You may wish to invest in some good reading material - Story's Guide to Raising Ducks was written by Mr. Holderread and has invaluable information, including rations and workarounds for not being able to find duck specific foods.

Layer feed is too much calcium for your ducklings (to reiterate). It's okay for laying adult females, but is not appropriate for longterm feeding to males. When my flock is integrated, I feed the layer food part of the year when the girls are laying the most eggs, then switch them to Gamebird. In the Winter, I add 10% cat food and some oats for warmth and better feather growth.

For snacks, be sure the food is small and soft. Ducks can choke. Don't feed salty snacks.

Just to clarify the comment about layer ration and the liver. Actually, excess calcium is excreted by the kidneys. This is the reason layer ration should not be fed to any bird that is not laying--just makes extra work for an already hard working organ. Many people feed layer ration to all birds and seem to have no trouble. Just for safety I feed an all-purpose feed and give free choice oyster shell for use by any bird that needs the extra calcium.

good input, fowl lover...you're right, it is the kidneys doing the work of removing unnecessary calcium...I am not a vet, though I was told by one, that there is something which can be damaged in a young non-laying hen before she is mature enough to lay. Maybe it is the kidneys as well...in any case, I also leave oyster shell and have the maintenance feed for all ducks, most of the year, except for offering layer feed mazuri pellets from about February through June, when the most eggs are being produced.

About the niacin--you can find it in tablet form at pet stores--it's a supplement often given to dogs. Just crumble one tablet and sprinkle onto the feed once daily. I picked up powder at a healthfood store and use a pinch daily.

You cannot find brewers yeast at a grocery--what you find is bread yeast--not the same thing.

You may want to pick up a VMP pack as well (vitamin-mineral-probiotic enzymes) from a feed store or waterfowl supply online. Add a pinch to the ducklings' water.

At this age (5-7 weeks), you should already be supplying grains as well--oats and black oil sunflower seed. There's another thread on this.

Hello am I to understand then that there is no danger of too much brewers yeast my ducklings are 4days old they are on non med chick starter and I have given them vitamin and electrolytes in their water

Hello am I to understand then that there is no danger of too much brewers yeast my ducklings are 4days old they are on non med chick starter and I have given them vitamin and electrolytes in their water

Welcome to the coop ladyvetoich. This is a very old thread in that the "Anonymous" (poster who is no longer a member), wrote about Brewer's yeast back in 2006. I don't have personal experience giving it to ducklings, but had plenty of it given to me as a kid, with no detriment. It is a good source of vitamin B, and I do not think a pinch as suggested by the poster, would be harmful in any way.

MedMD has this to say about it.

Quote:

Brewer's yeast is a kind of yeast that is a by-product of brewing beer. Dietary supplements containing brewer's yeast often contain non-living, dried yeast. People use brewer’s yeast to make medicine.

Brewer's yeast is used for diarrhea, the common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections, influenza, swine flu, loss of appetite, acne, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), recurring boils on the skin (furunculosis), and type 2 diabetes. It has also been used as a source of B vitamins, chromium, and protein.

How does it work?

Due to the chromium content of brewer's yeast, there is interest in using it for lowering blood glucose in people with diabetes. Chromium may help the body use insulin more effectively and this can lower blood sugar levels.

It was my understanding that ducks need more niacin for growing bones and chick starter doesn't provide enough true or not? And if true nowhere on the brewers yeast bottle does it mention niacin. I'm sorry folks I admit to being a first timer and these are pet ducks but I am confused.

True they need more niacin b3 than other poultry It's recommended that a duck diet have 55mg/kg feed to meet their daily needs,so base your feed choices around this ,or add peas,peanuts ,sunflower seeds ,sardines or chicken to their diets to increase niacin count